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Weekly column from the Non League Show's
Caroline Barker
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It was the front page of the Sun, of the Mirror, even
the Telegraph got in on the act with a mention or two;
Laura White booted off the X Factor and the baying masses
weren't happy.
Now, I have been known to watch the reincarnation of
"Search For A Star" and yes Laura shouldn't
have been voted off. Mariah Carey was a more likely
candidate but, is it really front page news?
How's about this for a headline? "Fleetwood super-mac?"
after the story of the electrician who fixed the lights
at Leiston so the game could go on (Grays could have
done with him mid-week when their floodlights failed)
or how about "Bird helps Robins fly" after
Carshalton's boss Hayden gets to grips with his new
squad?
Now, bar getting voted off the X Factor, some inappropriate
phone messages, or even the cure for the old credit
crunchy apple, there's not much from the world of Non
League that would make it on Fleet Street, and more's
the pity.
Every week now I hear tales of heroic deeds at Non
League level, from the 90-year-old fan still mowing
the grass, to the tea lady, which further down the job
description reads; kitman, boot boy, programme seller,
secretary and washer-up-er. No, definitely not news
worthy.
Quick shufty at the sports pages of the major tabloids
and it's about Respect again this week. Joe Kinnear
and his "Mickey Mouse" comments and Sir Alex
ranting about one man or another. So here's the deal.
Unfortunately trash sells. We like salacious gossip,
we like scurilous headlines and we like big time Charlies
giving it the big I am. Non League is never going to
be like that.
This week of all weeks there has been one exception.
The story of AFC Wimbledon capturing so many national
headlines. Here's a club trying to do it the right way
and trying to approach the game with a true professional
club attitude. Terry Brown, interviewed live on TV,
made no reference to the officials, and their Chief
Executive Erik Samuelson refused to be drawn into a
'spend the TV money and gamble' debate. All Dons feet
are firmly rooted.
Perhaps it takes a spell at the very bottom to realise
what you had. Perhaps the majority of Non League clubs
realise their moment in the sun may not come round too
often, so choose to use it wisely.
As Laura White, booted off the X Factor probably realised,
the show is just a programme for our entertainment,
with four human beings judging, playing the game and
acting up. Maybe Joe Kinnear has a touch of the Louis
Walsh's about him, playing up for the cameras. Maybe
that's what makes Non League refreshing, it's not quaint,
jumpers for goalposts, the image bandied around every
time the FA Cup pops up. Perhaps though on the whole
it's just a little more honest about what it is. Football.
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